New homeowner with a pool and spillover spa and trying to understand the right procedure to keep water circulating in both the pool and spa. Right now the pool is circulating but the spa is not. I was thinking that both the pool and spa can work at the same time but now it looks like it’s completely separate. See picture attached for the valve configuration. It looks like I can turn off the pool skimmer and flip on “spa” to start the suction. And then change from “return pool” to “return spa”. Do I need to flip these manually all the time halfway through the pentair pump schedule?
Spa / Pool Return and Suction
- Thread starter bdavis17
- Start date
Is your pool a pool/spa combo (pool with an attached spa)? If a combo, move the handle (rotate downward) on the return valve to about the 4:00 o'clock position to partially open the spa port. It will allow filtered water to be pushed into the spa, overflow it, and keep it fresh. The only time a spa actually "circulates" is when both valves are completely in the "spa" position. Having the spa overflow is the way the vast majority of pools are set up, especially without automation, and it works well.
If the spa portion is raised, send a picture of your setup.
Hi, it’s a combo where the spa is attached and has a spillover. I’ll turn the return valve to partially open both and report back. When would I ever want suction in the spa? Assuming I cannot partially open that one but have to choose?
- May 3, 2014
- 58,457
- Pool Size
- 6000
- Surface
- Fiberglass
- Chlorine
- Salt Water Generator
- SWG Type
- Pentair Intellichlor IC-40
When you plan to heat the spa water to use it, you isolate the spa water via the suction and return lines.
Only open the return valve for pool filtration. It is very easy to drain a spa when trying to balance suction on both, run the pump dry, and damage the shaft seal at the least. Again, only the return valve. You put them both in spa position when using the spa.
I’ve put the lever on the return at the 4 o’clock position. There’s water now trickling out of the spa. The other lever is fully turned to the “pool skimmer” side.
So I will only put both levers fully on the spa positions when attempting to heat the spa.
So I will only put both levers fully on the spa positions when attempting to heat the spa.
That's more than a trickle, but seems to be a good flow that will keep the spa fresh, supplying filtered and chlorinated water from the pool.